Artist Fiona Reidy wins the Bindjareb Art Award

Ms Reidy, Djinda Kaal in Noongar meaning star fire, was awarded the Bindjareb Art Award amidst NAIDOC Week celebrations at the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre on Monday.

“I’m shocked, excited, and really happy,” she said.

“I’ve worked really hard, I took my time on this piece and I didn’t know what the outcome would be and it’s amazing, the results are amazing, it just goes to show that hard work pays off.”

Her piece, A Journey with our Ancestors, represents the Noongar season of Makuru, the coldest and wettest time of the year around the months of June and July.

The acrylic on canvas depicts a river filling up, covering the stone bed as well as red eyed wattle leaves.

During Makuru, the Noongar people moved closer to rivers and estuaries to catch fish, an important part of their diet.

They also used the seed pods of the red eyed wattle to make flour to cook damper as well as to make soap, sunscreen and oils for the skin.

Ms Reidy comes from a family of artists, however, she didn’t take up the brush until 2005.

“I wasn’t interested in art when I was young, I started later in life,” she said.

“I picked up the brush one day and thought ‘I’ll give it a go’ and it just happened and I loved it and went with it and kept it up.”

She has now has her own gallery in the Swan Valley, Djinda Kaal Aboriginal Art Gallery, where she displays her paintings and items for sale.

The Bindjareb Art Award gives $10,000 to an artist for contributing to the Nyungar Art collection of the City of Mandurah. 

It aims to recognise the contribution by Aboriginal artists and promote appreciation and understanding of the indigenous culture of Australia’s south west. 

The exhibition with Ms Reidy’s work together with all the finalists’ works will be available at the Alcoa Mandurah Art Gallery until July 30.